Influence of contract farming on marketing of farm produce. A case of small scale french beans farmers in Kutus location, Kirinyaga county
Abstract
This research study was carried out in Kutus Location, Kirinyaga County. The purpose of
the study was to investigate the Influence of Contract Farming on Marketing of farm
produce a case of small scale french beans farmers in Kutus Location. The objectives of
the study were to: Determine the extent to which access to contract farming Information
influences marketing of french beans; Examine extent to which training small scale
french beans farmers on contract farming influences marketing of french beans; Explore
the extent to which service provision to small scale french beans farmers in contract
farming influences marketing of french beans and Investigate how small scale french
beans farmers knowledge of legal framework in contract farming influences marketing
of french beans in Kutus Location, Kirinyaga County. The research design used in this
study was descriptive survey. Group administration of the questionnaires to small scale
french beans farmers from nine registered farmer groups was used to collect data. The
target population for this study was the 252. Proportional stratified simple random
sampling was used to select the respondents. The table for sample size determination by
Israel (2013) was used to arrive at the sample size of 155 group members as the
respondents. The study instrument was validated prior to actual data collection by close
consultation between the researcher and fellow students in Master of Arts degree in
Projects Planning and Management and colleagues in the horticulture industry. A self
help group from Ngoliba in Thika was used for piloting of the research instrument. Pilot
testing provided an opportunity to detect any difficulties likely to arise and how to
mitigate the difficulties. The collected data was coded, analyzed and the report presented
in percentages and frequency tables. The study established that majority of the farmers
relied only on buyers of their french beans as their main source of information. It was
established that training helped small scale french beans farmers produce safe to use
french beans for the market, therefore increasing their market share. Further, the study
revealed that majority of the small scale french beans farmers were receiving inputs from
the buyers on credits. This helped the small scale french beans farmers to invest and
diversify in other business operations in their farms. The study further established that
despite majority of the small scale french beans farmers do not know how to use legal
frame work, despite being trained in such knowledge. The study recommends that: small
scale french beans farmers should pursue alternative sources of Information other than
the buyers of their produce; technical support to small scale farmers should be expanded
beyond the monitory boundaries. On legal frame work, the government should aim to
liberalize the market environment in such a way as to promote healthy competition.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Collections
- Faculty of Education (FEd) [5964]